KATHMANDU: Mukesh Dangol, a joint secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, has been appointed as the new Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).

A Cabinet meeting held on Monday decided to appoint Dangol to the top position, according to government spokesperson Shashmit Pokhrel.

Dangol was selected from a pool of 21 applicants who had applied following a public vacancy announcement issued by the ministry. The ministry recommended only Dangol’s name to the Cabinet for appointment.

Dangol currently serves as a joint secretary at the ministry and has prior experience leading CAAN in an acting capacity. He had previously been assigned the role of acting Director General after former chief Pradeep Adhikari was suspended following a corruption case. However, that stint lasted only around two weeks.

An engineer with expertise in air traffic control and aviation engineering, Dangol is one of the few technically experienced bureaucrats to lead Nepal’s aviation authority. He was promoted from section officer to joint secretary around 14 months ago and secured his position in the administrative service through a competitive process. According to officials, Dangol ranked first among 11 successful candidates selected through the open category during the promotion process. Before becoming a joint secretary, he served as an officer for 11 years, building experience in Nepal’s aviation and engineering sectors.

Dangol’s appointment comes at a crucial period for Nepal’s aviation sector, which faces increasing pressure to strengthen safety oversight, airport management, and regulatory reforms.